Clellan Card
Encyclopedia
Clellan Card was a noted on-air personality at the Minnesota
station WCCO best-known for the dozen years where he played Axel Torgeson on the local children's show Axel and His Dog. Card was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
and spent most of his life in the Twin Cities region, although he attended Rutgers College in New Brunswick, New Jersey
. He dropped out of Rutgers in 1926, moved in with his parents, and worked various jobs before starting his radio career. His first broadcasting job was doing voice work for a fishing tackle
commercial.
The Axel character, a loony "Scandihoovian
," was created by Card in the late 1930s when he had a popular morning radio show on WCCO AM called Almanac of the Air.
A devoted family man, Card suffered great losses in 1952 and early 1953 when two of his three children died in separate incidents four months apart. His son Peter died in a plane
crash in Texas
, and John died in a car
crash in the Twin Cities. It is believed that these events led Card to focus his broadcast talents toward children.
Axel and His Dog went on the air for the first time on August 5, 1954. Don Stolz, owner of the Old Log Theater
, played Towser, the dog on the show, and soon added Tallulah the cat as well. Local singer and entertainer Mary Davies played Carmen the Nurse. In October 1954, the show became the first local program in the Twin Cities to be broadcast in color
, using an experimental system.
The show proved to be extremely popular. In January 1959, for example, its rating was nearly three times that of the nearest competitor, American Bandstand
. One live event at Excelsior Amusement Park
at Lake Minnetonka
in 1958 saw an attendance of 12,000.
In the 1960s, Card began to suffer from the effects of cancer
, though few people outside of WCCO knew of his condition. He continued to do the show as long as possible, but was admitted to Abbott Hospital
in April
1966. He died eight days later. Carmen the Nurse went on the air the next day to inform viewers of what happened. A memorial fund was set up, with $5,600 raised in the next two months. Roughly half of the money came in small donations of coins from children.
The Pavek Museum of Broadcasting
inducted Card into their hall of fame for Minnesota broadcasters in 2002.
The Pavek Museum of Broadcasting
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
station WCCO best-known for the dozen years where he played Axel Torgeson on the local children's show Axel and His Dog. Card was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
and spent most of his life in the Twin Cities region, although he attended Rutgers College in New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
. He dropped out of Rutgers in 1926, moved in with his parents, and worked various jobs before starting his radio career. His first broadcasting job was doing voice work for a fishing tackle
Fishing tackle
Fishing tackle, is a general term that refers to the equipment used by fishermen when fishing. Almost any equipment or gear used for fishing can be called fishing tackle. Some examples are hooks, lines, sinkers, floats, rods, reels, baits, lures, spears, nets, gaffs, traps, waders and tackle...
commercial.
The Axel character, a loony "Scandihoovian
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
," was created by Card in the late 1930s when he had a popular morning radio show on WCCO AM called Almanac of the Air.
A devoted family man, Card suffered great losses in 1952 and early 1953 when two of his three children died in separate incidents four months apart. His son Peter died in a plane
Fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
crash in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, and John died in a car
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
crash in the Twin Cities. It is believed that these events led Card to focus his broadcast talents toward children.
Axel and His Dog went on the air for the first time on August 5, 1954. Don Stolz, owner of the Old Log Theater
Old Log Theater
The Old Log Theater is the oldest professional theater in the state of Minnesota. It is sometimes cited as the oldest continuously operating professional theater in the United States, although other much older theaters such as the 200-year-old Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia would seem to...
, played Towser, the dog on the show, and soon added Tallulah the cat as well. Local singer and entertainer Mary Davies played Carmen the Nurse. In October 1954, the show became the first local program in the Twin Cities to be broadcast in color
Color
Color or colour is the visual perceptual property corresponding in humans to the categories called red, green, blue and others. Color derives from the spectrum of light interacting in the eye with the spectral sensitivities of the light receptors...
, using an experimental system.
The show proved to be extremely popular. In January 1959, for example, its rating was nearly three times that of the nearest competitor, American Bandstand
American Bandstand
American Bandstand is an American music-performance show that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989 and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as producer...
. One live event at Excelsior Amusement Park
Excelsior Amusement Park
Excelsior Amusement Park was located on Lake Minnetonka in the town of Excelsior, Minnesota. The park, which operated from 1925 to 1973, was a popular destination for company picnics and day trips from the Twin Cities.-Attractions:...
at Lake Minnetonka
Lake Minnetonka
Lake Minnetonka is a lake in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Throughout its recorded history, the lake has been a resort destination. It is located west-southwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The lake is an irregular shape with numerous bays and islands which make up about of shoreline...
in 1958 saw an attendance of 12,000.
In the 1960s, Card began to suffer from the effects of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, though few people outside of WCCO knew of his condition. He continued to do the show as long as possible, but was admitted to Abbott Hospital
Abbott Northwestern Hospital
Abbott Northwestern Hospital is a 627 bed teaching and specialty hospital based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is the largest not-for-profit hospital in the Twin Cities and a part of the Allina network of hospitals and clinics...
in April
1966. He died eight days later. Carmen the Nurse went on the air the next day to inform viewers of what happened. A memorial fund was set up, with $5,600 raised in the next two months. Roughly half of the money came in small donations of coins from children.
The Pavek Museum of Broadcasting
Pavek Museum of Broadcasting
The Pavek Museum of Broadcasting is a museum in St. Louis Park, Minnesota which has one of the world's most significant collections of vintage radio and television equipment. It originated in the collection of Joe Pavek, who began squirreling away unique radios while he was an instructor at...
inducted Card into their hall of fame for Minnesota broadcasters in 2002.
External links
- Axel Torgeson at TV Heaven.
The Pavek Museum of Broadcasting